You Promised Me
by Tori of Lorien
Summary: Her heart had been shattered, his promises had been broken.  All Selena knew was that Morzan had betrayed her and began to willingly serve Galbatorix.  But she would never know the truth.  A Morzan's Legacy sidestory.


**You Promised Me**

**Summary**: Her heart had been shattered, his promises had been broken. All Selena knew was that Morzan had betrayed her and began to willingly serve Galbatorix. But she would never know the truth. A Morzan's Legacy side-story.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of the characters from Eragon except for the healer. She is mine.

**A/N**: Hi, everybody! This is the sequel to "Part of Me", so read that one first if you have not. This is another side-story to "Morzan's Legacy", so it delves into the mind of Morzan some more. Even though he is completely evil now, I added my own little spin to his character, so nobody sue me, please! Lol. Enjoy! 

It was a living nightmare. Selena's heart had been crushed, shattered, and ripped to pieces with no way to mend it. Murtagh, her three-year-old son, was slowly dying from a long, deep gash on his back that ran from his right shoulder down to his left hip. A sword blade is what had sliced him, a red blade, done by his father's hand. Morzan, the boy's own father, had tried to kill Murtagh.

Selena sunk to her knees on the hard floor, the tears that she had kept up inside of her finally falling. It was too much for her to bear. Her personal healer was trying her best to keep Murtagh alive, but she knew that there were no guarantees that he would survive. In fact, her healer had told her that he probably would not.

Her tears soon turned to tears of hate as her thoughts landed on Morzan. The man that she had once loved was gone. Now, he was known as the Traitor, the dreaded leader of the thirteen Riders called the Forsworn. They spread Galbatorix's evil across Alagaesia, killing anyone who stood against them. They were monsters, cruel and heartless. But he was now the only one that remained.

For a moment, Selena remembered the man behind the Rider, and for that one moment, she wondered if a small part of her broken heart reached out and longed for him. But then, her heart, or what was left of it, hardened when she thought about what he had done. All Selena knew was that Morzan had betrayed her and now served Galbatorix freely. He was nothing like he was when she had loved him.

_You promised me…_ Selena thought fiercely as more tears fell from her eyes, looking out the window at the moonlight. _You promised me that nothing would happen to Murtagh. You promised me that you would rather die than serve Galbatorix freely… You promised me!  
_

Xxxxxxxxxx

Morzan swung Zar'roc out at his opponent, but he grew frustrated when it was blocked again. He hadn't remembered the man being so strong, but then again, his old friend was full of burning vengeance at him. Brom's dragon had been murdered in battle not long before, and the Forsworn leader had used the very same blade to kill many dragons after that. The sword in his hands was a true dragon killer.

But tonight, a different blood had stained the blade. It was a blood that should not have been spilt by his hand or any hand. It was the blood of his son.

Swinging forcefully out with his sword again, Morzan wondered why he had viciously attacked Murtagh. He hadn't meant to, or at least he didn't think so, and he had never before dreamed of harming a hair on the boy's head. But the power Galbatorix had over him was too strong, and he finally found that he not longer had a choice and had to surrender to it. He had been won over by the king, for he had said the right words at the right time. Now, he was the king's most powerful and most feared soldier, his greatest weapon. The Rider loved how much power he now had… how good it felt to hold it in the palm of his hand.

But not that night, not after that power drove him to do something that he would normally never had done. He had harmed his son, his heir, maybe even killed him… It was too much for him to bear.

Morzan quickly spun around to block a vicious attack from Brom, and his cloak shifted to reveal the small golden chain that he always wore around his neck, the one that Selena had given to him a year before… the part of her heart that she had entrusted him with.

He faltered when he saw it. Selena… how he had betrayed her. That alone was enough for him to be shunned and called a traitor in his eyes. He had made Selena promises that he had not kept… and that he knew he could never take back.

Selena… I'm so sorry… 

But the Rider had faltered for a moment too long, and Brom took his chance. He lunged his sword forward…

_I'm so sorry…_

…and his aim was true. Pain erupted in Morzan's chest as the blade of Brom's sword sunk deeper. The red blade dropped from his hands as his own dying scream matched his dragon's as it echoed in the night air.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Selena cautiously entered a small room, and her heart quickened anxiously when she saw what was inside. Murtagh was lying on a bed with his tunic off, his face deathly pale. His breathing was short and irregular, and sweat was appearing all over his small body. The healer that Selena had entrusted her son's life with was hurrying around, wetting a cloth and placing it on his forehead. When she heard the door open, she looked up and saw Selena, but she didn't smile.

"How is he doing, Erina?" Selena asked, afraid to know the answer.

The healer sighed. "I'm afraid that he's not doing well, Selena. It could only be a matter of time." Erina answered heavily. "But for now, he is hanging on. His heart is still beating faintly."

Murtagh must have recognized his mother's voice because he began to stir and whimper. "Mom…" he said quietly, his eyes fluttering open as he looked around him.

Selena immediately moved to her son's side, kneeling down and running her fingers through his black hair to try to soothe him. "Shh… It's all right, Murtagh. I'm here." she told him, tears in her eyes. "I'm here." She wouldn't believe that he was going to die… she _couldn't_. Part of her heart had to survive…

Suddenly, she gasped as she looked into Murtagh's face. She found that she was looking into the same dark eyes that Morzan had. Before, she would have been thrilled that he looked so much like his father. Now, it was painful to think about…

_Morzan…_

The woman sighed when a part of her heart ached, knowing that that small part still might have longed for him after all…

Tears formed in the young boy's eyes as he continued to look up at his mother. "It hurts, Mom…" he muttered as they fell.

"I know." Selena said, blinking her own tears away. "But you have to hang on. It will get better. You'll see. Promise Mom that you'll hang in there, okay?"

Murtagh nodded, and she was relived to see that he seemed to feel comforted by her words. She knew that she had to believe them as well… Selena then looked over her shoulder when the healer offered her a cup with a clear liquid inside. "It's a pain killing medicine with a mild sedative in it." Erina said. "You can give it to him. He wouldn't take it from me."

The woman took the cup and turned to her young son. "Here, Murtagh. Take this." Selena said. "It will make you feel better."

Murtagh looked at the cup, but his expression was one of clear disgust. "I don't want it." he replied. "She said it's medicine."

"Do you want the pain to go away?" Selena asked.

Murtagh nodded in answer.

"Then take it." Selena told him. "It will make the pain in your back go away."

Seeing no other choice, Murtagh allowed his mother to help him drink down the clear liquid, wincing as it burned his throat as it went down. Selena gently laid him back down on his pillow after he drank it all, wondering how long it would take the sedative to take effect. Knowing her healer, it wouldn't be long.

"If he survives through the night, he should be all right." Erina commented, sitting next to Selena and speaking in a voice loud enough so only she could hear her. "I can try to sustain him for that long, but he will live with that scar for the rest of his life."

"That doesn't matter." Selena muttered heavily, her head in her hands. "As long as you keep him alive…"

Suddenly, they all heard a sound that chilled them. It was the loud roar of a dragon.

Erina got to her feet and rushed to the window to investigate, but she saw nothing in the night air. Murtagh had an unreadable expression on his face as tears fell from his dark eyes from the pain on his back while Selena's eyes were wide with horror. She would know that sound anywhere. It was the cry of Amafaer, Morzan's dragon…

Though no words were exchanged, Murtagh knew exactly what the sound meant. His father was… did he even dare to hope to think it? All he knew was that it was true.

"Dad… is…" Murtagh began to whisper, closing his eyes just as the dragon's cry was sharply cut off.

Selena turned to look at Murtagh, horrified as she saw his motionless form. "Murtagh!" she cried. "Murtagh!"

Erina rushed to the boy, listening intently for his heartbeat. After a minute, she sighed with relief. "He is alive." she said. "He's just asleep."

Selena couldn't believe the time that the sedative had taken effect. It had almost seemed like… no, she wouldn't think of it. But tears still formed in her eyes against her wishes. She also knew what the dragon's cry meant, but she heard something else that she was sure no one else had heard. Echoed in the dragon's cry… was the scream of Morzan.

Tears fell from her eyes as she began to sob. Erina rubbed her hand on the woman's back in a soothing manner, but Selena found no comfort in it. There was only one thought in her mind that came from the small part of her heart that longed to have the husband she used to love back.

I'm so sorry… 

Morzan was dead.

**A/N**: Hoped you enjoyed it! Reviews are very much appreciated. Thanks!


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